Signal-fusee



(No Model.) Y

eeeAeKeoN SIGNAL FUSEE.

No. 246,780. Patented Sept. 6l, 1881.

` Niran STATES `sninunan Monson, ery P'ninanELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA,

sienntarusee.

SPECFICATON forming part lci' Letters Patent No, 246,780, dated September 6', 1881.

` Appuanoignieu Jun@ 9, issi. (nomini.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be i L known that 1', SAMUEL Jackson, a citizen of the United States, residingfin Philadell pida, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Signal-Fusees, of which the fol lowing is a specilication.

The object of my invention is to so construct; a pyrotechnic signahfusee that while the same can be readily ignited when required for use the accidental ignition of the in see by friction, impact, or fracture during the transportation or storage of the same will be cifectually prevented, and this object I attain in the manner which I will now proceed to describe,'reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of in y iin proved signal-fusse, and Fig. 2 a sectional view ofthe cap to Vbe"nsed'when the in'tlain'inable materiai-' at the end ofthe tube has to be ignited.

The tube A is preferabl y made of stiff paper 'or pasteboard in the same manner as-he tubes of sky-rockets, Roman candles, and other analogous hre-works, the tube beingfurnished at its lower end with a handle, B, if the signal has to be held in the hand, or the tube may have a pointed end or spike, as shown by dotted lines, if the signal has to be stuck in the ground.

The main body of the tube is packed with inflammable material, which, when ignited,

will burn with a brilliant dame, which can be observed in the dark from a great distance. The filling material may, for instance, be nitrate of strontia, inwhich case the tlame Will be of a brilliant red color; lor the filling material may be such that the iiame will be cfa greeln color or vany other color that may be d esire The outer end of the tube is packed with a hard com-position, 1 -such, for instance, as is used in making rocketstars. Thus, when the tube contains nitrate of'strontia, this hard coniposition may consist of carbonate of strontia, which forms a plug in the end of the tube A, and serves not only to retain the nitratepowder therein, but to prevent the access of moisture to said powdenthe latter being thus kept constantly dryiand in an infiamma-ble condition. A small button, b, is embedded in the hard composition a, which lls the end of the tube` A, and this button is surrounded by a composition consisting of chlorate of potash and soinecarbonaceous material, this coins circumstances described hereinafter.

pound being held in place by alight textile` f Ehe signals may be stored away or carried dn the cars of a train without danger of accidental ignition by friction or impact; but when "required for use the signals should be provided with caps G, each containing' a small glass vessel, d, filled or partly iilled with sulphuric acid, so that after the cap has been placed on the end of the tube A and has been struck against any hard object the glass will break, owing to the contact of the vessel with the button b, and the sulphur-ic acid will be brought into contact with the inflammable material sur' rounding the' button, and instant ignition will with such violence that the cap Gr will be at which will continue to burn with a brilliant ame, which imparts the desired signal.

The packing c may be made hard enough to resist the blow on 'the button bvfor producing ignition; or, in some cases, the packing a may be made so hard that the button b can be dis-l pensed with. The use ofthebutton is preferred, however, on account of its greater certainty of action. In all cases, however, the t-wo mate; rials-one in the cap and the other in the tube-for causing ignition by their combined action, should, when separate, benon-ignita' ble by friction or contact, so that there can be noda'nger'of explosion as long as the said caps and tubes are contained'in separate receptacles.

I claim as my invention-- The lcombination, in a signal-Vfusee, oi the tube A and cap G, made separately from but attachable to each other, and each provided which will not of themselves ignite or explode by friction, impact, or fracture, but which, by their joint action, will eifect the ignition of the signal, as set forth.

In testimonywhereof Ihave signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribin g witnesses.

- V SAMUEL J AGKSON.

Witnesses:

J AMES F. Tonny,

HARRY SMITH.

once forced from the tube A, the contents of take ['ili'i'ceiicignition-being accompaniedv with materials, substantially as described, 

